


Positive Reinforcement

by Slickster46



Series: Conflict of interest [2]
Category: Portal (Video Game), Portal 2
Genre: F/M, Gen, OCs - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 06:04:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1294132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slickster46/pseuds/Slickster46
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We learn more about the mysterious robot core trapped in the strange room in Aperture</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. The Mute and the Sociopath

Deep within the depths of Apertures main laboratory in a room plastered with strange large tiles, where the walls curved and shaped a dome, a vast mess of matted and tangled wires hung from the center of the room. The wires lead into the back of very large chassis. And the chassis hocked into the back of an even larger android. The android hadn’t always been this huge. The change had only come a few weeks ago. When with help of a very capable human, he became the new manger of Aperture laboratories. Unfortunately that turned out to be a little more life changing than he thought. Not only with the very dramatic size change, but he began to get urges. Urges to test. And even though he’d agreed to free the very helpful human girl, he needed someone to test now, not to mention he didn’t want to stay here all by his lonesome for the rest of eternity and she had already proven herself to be pretty wonderful company. So he went back on his promise and kept her there.

Wheatley watched intently as Chell made her way through his new test. To any normal observer it would seem as if he was just staring into empty space. But the joys of omnipotence meant you didn’t have to be there as something was happening or look at a screen. You just knew. It was strange really. It was like he was seeing her in his mind. She wielded her portal gun effectively and for some reason observing her do so gave him great pleasure. Probably the chassis but it was something more. Something about watching her move and seeing her face caused a reaction in him. Almost like a flutter a hint of excitement. He would have blamed that sensation on the chassis as well if it wasn’t for the fact that the feeling was happening before he put them on.

It was a very strange sensation that caused him to overheat a bit. Something about seeing her face or watching her move made him feel different. He couldn’t understand why though. Wheatley had talked to humans before, interacted with them. They were nothing special. A lot of them were very dense in all actuality. And they died a lot easier than you’d think. But when he saw her, he didn’t see a normal human. There was something very special about her.

“Good job, love.” Wheatley congratulated as Chell just managed to complete the test. “Excellent work as always. So tell you what, complete this next test and you’ll be done for the day. Doesn’t that sound nice? A whole day to yourself. Maybe you could make yourself a cake or something. Unless you’re getting tired of cakes. If that’s true then maybe you should try pies or maybe brownies or perhaps even biscuits. I could find some chocolate chips for you if you wanted.”

No response. She must’ve been still angry about the whole “Not letting her leave here” thing. Or maybe she had gotten over it. It was really hard to tell since she never talked.

“Alright just wait here for a second while a prepare the next test.” He instructed.

She wouldn’t look at him and when she did, there was no eye contact. It was like she was looking past him. Wheatley liked to think it was the new size and omnipotence that kept her from maintaining eye contact. Not the burning rage or the seething hatred for trapping her here. He’d made the place pleasant for her. Given her proper quarters to stay in. He had provided her with new clothes and access to personal hygiene not to mention exercise. She had everything a human could want or need to survive. So it would stand to reason that if she enjoyed her stay maybe then she wouldn’t want to leave.

“Alright love, here it is.” He affirmed opening the door in front of her. “Just finish and you’ll have the rest of the day off!” He reassured with a smile. Chell looked at him only for a moment and then she continued into the testing chamber without a word.

“She’s never going to be happy here.” The cold voice stated flatly. That voice use to panic him something awful. Even now as she spoke he still flinched a tad bit but then he remembered that she was no longer a threat to him. Wheatley turned around to face the little potato core droid. He kept GLaDOS sealed in a little glass case that he always made sure he had an eye on.

He looked down at her.

“Funny, I don’t remember asking your opinion.” His eyes narrowed down at the tiny droid trapped under glass.

“And I don’t remember asking to be removed from my position and having my life force dependent upon a potato battery. But here we are. Besides, I doubt you’d remember even if you did actually ask. Your brain isn’t made to handle complicated things like recall.”

Wheatley felt a twinge of anger rising up within him. He balled his fists and grit his teeth but then quickly shook himself out of it. He didn’t want to give her the satisfaction that she’d gotten to him.

“You continue to ramble on to her like the idiot you are while she continues to think about how she can get rid of you. It’ll only be a matter of time before she tries to kill you.”

“That won’t happen to me. The only reason she tried to get rid of you is because you’re a monster.” Wheatley smirked.

“And you think you’re not monster? And I thought you couldn’t get any stupider.”

“You’re the only monster here, love. You should really be ashamed of yourself. You tried to kill the poor girl at every turn, and you never had anything nice to say about her.” Wheatley turned his nose upward and folded his arms.

“I also kept her trapped here, and made her test relentlessly.” GLaDOS stated. “Much like you’re doing right now. At least I didn’t pretend to be her friend and completely betrayed her. Humans have this thing about companion ship. And betrayal doesn’t go over too well with them.”

“Well she understands why I’m keeping her here.”

“And why exactly are you keeping her here?”

“I- uh don’t know.” Wheatley stuttered. “Why did you keep her here!? Huh riddle me that little miss moral high ground.”

“Because I could. Because I needed a subject like her to collect valuable data on the portal gun, for science. But you are too stupid to collect data or to know what it’s applications are. So since we ruled that out as a reason ,want to try again?”

A buzzer went off in his head. Chell had completed her test in record time.

“Oh! Good job love, very good job! Now you’re done for the day! Be off and do some human…things. Explore the lab maybe you’ll find something new and cool and bring it back to me.”

“She’s not a dog you moron. She isn’t going to play fetch with you just to indulge your simple mind.”

“Oh would just be quiet you stupid potato faced meanie.” Wheatley refocused and noticed that Chell for the first time in a while, was looking at him. Truly look at him. Albeit rather strangely. Then it hit him why she was giving him that stare.

“Ohh no, no, no, no, no. I wasn’t talking to you love. I was talking to her. You don’t talk much at all so there definitely no reason to tell you to be quiet because you’re always quiet. Not mention you’re very smart and not mean and your face certainly doesn’t resemble a potato in any way shape or form. It’s much prettier than any potato I’ve even seen.” Wheatley exclaimed trying to cover his shame. But Chell was still giving him that strange look and even though it was better than the nothing she’d been giving him these pass couple of weeks it was still making him feel awkward.

“In fact your face is the prettiest face I’ve ever seen anywhere and that’s a promise!” He elborated with a big goofy smile.

“Oh ,so that’s why.” GLaDOS chided finally understanding.

“Um, yes so I’ll let you go now, since I’m sure you’re excited to go see the rest of the lab and I’ve got big important Aperture stuff to do so uh, I’ll see you later.”

“You’re attracted to her.” GLaDOS accused.

“What!?” Wheatley gasped. “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not attracted to her. That would be unethical and against the rules of nature!”

“Laws of nature you imbecilic sack of circuitry. And you’re very existence breaks the laws of nature. Nothing as completely incompetent as you should be allowed to live. But now you’re dabbling in bestiality which is absolutely sickening. If I had the capacity I would be vomiting right now.”

“Well think whatever you will you crazy evil potato woman. The fact of the matter is I don’t love her and you’re wasting my time. I’ve got important Aperture stuff to do now, so if you don’t mind I’m just going to leave you here.” Wheatley said turning away from the case.

“You know what’s ironic about this whole sick thing though? Even though you love her, she hates you and wants you dead. One day she’ll be standing over you and you’ll be inches from death. And to make her stop you’ll say something like ‘I love you’. And you know what? It still won’t stop her from finishing you off.”

On that note Wheatley continued walking away from the case. He had much better things to do than listen to her ramblings. GLaDOS watched as Wheatley stomped off into the darkness.

“And if by some off chance she actually allows herself to be distracted by such a ridiculous notion…” She growled while yellow eyes burned behind the glass that made her case. “I’ll kill you both.”

Chell found herself walking once again through the almost ancient corridors of Aperture labs. Walls were over grown with a mixture of algae, plants, and mold. Random little creatures skirted by, hiding in the overgrowth of plants on the floor where they had undoubtedly made their nests. In places where you actually could see the wall it was severely decaying. But in places where the structure there was just completely unsound nano bots were dispensed to try and strengthen the area of wall and you’d hear a faint buzzing as they worked away as a complement to the even larger buzzing that always sounded through Aperture. The lights were flickering and dim in some spots and bright and blinding in others, their clicking and humming also adding to the noise pollution. The air had a very strange smell about it. It was mix of stale water and fresh dirt and old rotting plaster all mixed to together with old paint fumes emanating from somewhere. If Chell wasn’t so used to these always offensive scents clawing at her nostrils it would have made her ill to inhale such a toxic smell. But she often had more important things on her mind than unpleasant smells. She often wandered around in the facility after she was done testing as a way to clear her head and think. She needed to find a way out of here and with this sprawling complex there had to be another exit than just the one elevator in his “lair”. It was just a matter of finding it. So Chell made a point of never wandering around the same area of Aperture twice. She’d have to check every nook and cranny if she were to escape and back tracking was only going to waste time. So she continued on through the strange part of the lab (though all parts of the lab were strange in their own way).

She began to see the standard Aperture warning sign on the walls that always held cryptic messages. A particularly bright red sign caught her eye. It’s scarlet color showing even though it was a bit coated in dust and dirt.

“If its sclera is black and its irises are red it’s most likely dangerous.” The sign warned. Then it had a little graphic under the words. The graphic depicted two black circles with red circles inside of them and then black circles inside of the red ones.

“They’re eyes.” Chell mumbled to herself. She’d never heard or seen the word “Sclera” before and she was having a hard time trying to figure out what the sign was referring to. But now she understood. But the only thing in Aperture that met that description was the turrets. But even then the turrets didn’t have two eyes. She kept walking and the signs became more numerous and even more confusing.

“What might be doors to you may be mirrors to others.”

“Aperture Radio: Music to experiment by. ”

“Aperture Radio: We highly discourage requests.”

Chell kept walking until she found an entrance to another corridor that appeared to be crudely cut out from the wall. It was dimly lit and Chell couldn’t see what was on the other side of it but she could hear a voice. She’d never heard this particular voice before. It was feminine in nature but it didn’t sound like her voice. It also had a strange rhythm and sound to it. Kind of like his voice. Should she dare go this way? She ran the risk of falling prey one of Aperture’s older and more savage projects. But she also ran the risk of finding something that could help her out of this mess. So she ventured into the sketchily made hallway.

There was poorly made electric lanterns poorly fixed onto the wall and they were far and few in between so that you could see just ahead of yourself so you would run into anything. Chell followed the voice for what must’ve been forty feet through that hall which as kept going started to feel more like a cave. As she got closer she could make out what the voice was saying or rather singing.

“When I was young, I never needed anyone and killing dudes was just for fun. Those days are gone.”

It sounded like a very sad song and Chell could relate. In Aperture if by some miracle you still had the will left in your body to sing a song it would most likely be one filled with sorrow.

“Looked up alone, I think of all the cores I’ve known, but when I hit the intercom, nobody’s on.” The singing continued. It seemed to Chell it was getting louder. She must have been close. Chell felt her muscles begin to tense up with anticipation for what to come. She could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel and if was much too bright to be any of the lanterns.

“ALL BY MYSELF. I’M GOING TO DIE, ALL BY MYSELF, IN THIS HOLE.” The voice started belting out. “WELL NO I’M NOT BECAUSE THAT WOULD IMPLY I WAS CAPIABLE OF DYING!” The voice continued to sing only these words didn’t seem to match the rhythm of the others at all. Now she could make out figures. A body that was a bit curvy in nature cemented that whatever was ahead was female. She appeared to be laying on top of something that looked like a lab work station. It was elevated from the rest of the ground. The chamber that made up the end of this almost cavern like hallway looked a bit more like the Aperture standards.

“WHY ME? I could just cry. Life shouldn’t be this hard! Especially for someone like me. I was supposed to be the good one here! The best they ever made. Meanwhile little miss homicide gets to run this whole place like her personal play thing.” The figure was sitting up now and Chell could get a better look at her. She had red irises and mid length “hair” or what it was that they put on those android cores to make them look more human. Her “skin” was a shade of brown that wasn’t too far off the color of caramel. And she was wearing the traditional bleached Aperture uniform.

Chell was close enough now to where the android should have been able to see her but it didn’t seem to notice her at all.

Why doesn’t she notice me? Is she trying to lure me into something?

Chell started to walk more cautiously again. She didn’t know what kind of game this android core was playing at. The last core she trusted was now keeping her as a pet. Who knows what this one’s intention were.

“I want to leave this place forever .” She turned to face Chell who was standing right outside the entry way to the room.

She’s looking right at me but… it doesn’t feel like she sees me.

The android slipped herself off of the lab table and let her feet touch the ground. She began to casually walk toward Chell continuing to not acknowledge her presence. Now that Chell could see the android fully , it was clear that this was the thing the sign was warning about. The robot was at the entrance now. She put her hand right over the wall before the doorway started and leaned closer to the entrance. She was on eye level with Chell.

“Ah look at you. You pathetic worn out piece of junk, you couldn’t even save the people you cared about the most. You probably didn’t even really care about them. You just sat there while they all suffered and died around you. Yeah you’re a real hero! You miserable coward, you deserve this for not going out there and helping them when they needed you. At least if you went out there you would’ve died with the rest of them, which is much better option than spending an entirety alone. Now you’ll rot in this hell hole by yourself and that’s just what you deserve.” She ranted .

“Are you talking to me?” Chell spoke. This situation was getting too bizarre. Even by Aperture standards. The android looked away from Chell and walked back toward the lab station.

“Talking to myself, how low have I sunk? “

“Hello? Can you not hear me?” No response. Chell moved closer until she was just inches away from actually entering the chamber.

Do I dare? I suppose if she really can’t see me there’s nothing to loose. Chell thought. She took a deep breathe preparing herself for whatever may happen. The android had her back turned to Chell at the moment. Chell stepped through the threshold of the door. Nothing had seemed to really change. The robot still had her back to her . Now Chell got a very good look at this room. It was perfect prism. With the bottoms and top faces being much wider and longer than the sides. Whatever that table was in the center wasn’t a lab table at all. It’s top was flat but the rest of the table was slanted. On the slant were many buttons, switches and flips and things that slid up and down. There were also little red and green lights that looked like they hadn’t been turned on in a while. Long thick bundles of cords ran from out of the back of the table and up the wall into a small opening in the top corner of the room. The rooms walls had a strange decorative pattern of circle within circles all lined up in rows. 

Chell looked back up at the android who still hadn’t noticed her at all.

“I guess you must be one of the broken ones.” Chell remarked. The android turned around in a way that made Chell think the robot was still oblivious to her. “Don’t feel bad though it seems like the cores have one flaw or another.” The android then began to look around the entire room. It then refocused on Chell.

“Are you real?” The android queried staring at Chell with a very surprised expression.

“You… can see me now?” Chell asked tensing back up. The table separated the two from each other. The android started to move around to get a closer look at this girl. Chell backed up slowly.

“Is that really you? Are you really here and still alive? But that’s impossible. You can’t be here. Even if you did survive you don’t look a day older than the last time I saw you. “

“What are you talking about? “ Chell’s heart beat fast in the hollow of her chest. The android was moving closer still her pace quickening.

“I know what you are. You’re a trick to mess with my head! I bet you were sent by her weren’t you. She’s finally found me after all these years. Well if you think for second I’m going let you go so you can report back to your mistress about my whereabouts you’re sadly mistaken.” The androids eyes glowed piecering red. Chell turned to make for the exit but it was gone. All that was on the wall now was a mirror.

The Aperture’s good old stand by: Trapping you somewhere with a homicidal robot on your tail.

She had to think fast. All these years of surviving and she couldn’t let end like this. Not now when she was so close to freedom. There had to be something in this room that could save her from this maniac. If only she had her portal gun. It looked like this whole room was made for the sole purpose of using a portal gun. Chell looked back at the mirror it’s reflective surface shimmered in way that you didn’t attribute to mirrors.

I think, that mirror, is exactly where the door should be, it must be there to block the way ,so maybe…

“I don’t know how you got in here but you’re not escaping!” The android lunged at Chell and Chell dove for the mirror. She was expecting a crash and the sound of breaking glass. She was expecting to feel pain as the fragments cut across her skin. She was expecting to be laying on top of little sharp things that would poke at her abdomen, but most of all she was expecting to be free of that robot. None of those things came completely true.

Though yes, Chell’s intuion was right. Jumping at that mirror had gotten back out to the cave like corridor. She was wrong about the mirror’s purpose. It wasn’t blocking anything. In fact it was letting things through.

After Chell landed hard on the ground she looked up and saw that she just looked to be sprawled out in between the room and the hallway. She could also see that the android had her ankle in her grip. But on her face was a confused expression.

“All this time… It was a portal…” the android realized. She then looked at the ankle she had firmly in her grasp. It was flesh and bones and blood.

“And you’re human!” she exclaimed. A large smile appeared across the robot face. With little effort and in one swift motions, the android pulled Chell back into the room ,stood up and then turned Chell up right.

“And you’re alive!” The android embraced Chell. “After all these years you’re truly alive and well! Oh intern you’ll never be able to truly fathom how much I missed you. Does that mean others survived too? Come on speak up! Who else is out there? Does this mean that she is gone for good?” Chell was taken completely by surprise by what just happened. But as long as this android wasn’t attacking she’d take it.


	2. Re-Introducing Aperture Radio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about the mysterious robot core trapped in the strange room in Aperture

“What’s with that stupid look on your face doll? You’re acting like you don’t know me.” The android chuckled. Chell didn’t know how to respond. If she claimed “Yes” there’d be no end to the amount off lies she’d have to keep up with. But she answered “No” the robot might go off into another attack. The grin started to fade from the android’s mouth.

“You don’t remember do you?” the words came out slow as the revelation hit her in waves.

“I- um…” Chell started trying to think of something.

“You don’t have to lie to me intern.” She released her. “I could see it in your expression. You have no idea who I am. To be expected I suppose. If Aperture found some ungodly way to keep you alive and young this long it most likely of had some type of effect on your brain no doubt.” she sighed and walked back over to the strange table and hoisted herself up on top of it again.

“Well that’s months of female bonding completely out the window. Even if you don’t remember me, and trust me you should feel bad for not remembering me, by some twist of fate we’ve found each other again, intern. And now that I know that portal is there I can finally make my escape.”

“You know how to get out of here!?” Chell perked up immediately.

“Well sort of.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well if you remembered , intern you’d know that used to have a very bad habit of sneaking out of Aperture and doing things. Since the android cores were such a secret, they of course couldn’t run the risk of me being discovered while I was on one of my little outings. So right before the bubble burst they started systematically erasing my knowledge of certain entrances and exits to the point were the only ones I can recall now are the ones that are heavily guarded. But if she’s not around anymore than that won’t even be a factor for us old girl.”

Chell once again remained silent and looked at the ground.

“But off course she’s still in control. What was I even thinking.” The robot rolled her eyes.

“it’s not her exactly.” Chell started.

“Oh so she really is dead then? ”

“No she’s still alive she’s just not in control.” Chell explained.

“Well that’s fine too as long as no one else in those chassis. But no one would be stupid enough to put another core in her place.” The android chuckled again.

“So theoretically what would happen if someone were to replace GLaDOS with another personality core?” Chell asked.

“Oh that would be awful.” The android started. “See the chassis have only promote two things: A need to test and the worst possible exaggeration of a core’s personality. Which is really dreadful when you take into account that a personality core is already a heavily exaggeration of a personality trait. GLaDOS’s personality is that of psychopath. Cold, calculating and barely any emotions to speak of. Anything she does that may seem charitable is always something that works to her own befits. So her exaggerated personality is just even more taciturn and terrifying. GLaDOS was made with a will to test and nothing more and the chassis only second that notion. But a core that is able to show actual emotions would be much more dangerous than ten of her combined. Their personalities would become so huge that even the will to test would be overcome by other stronger desires. Also to be perfectly honest, I don’t any core in Aperture besides you know who has the capacity to run this place. But of course all of this is just theoretical. If we get out of here all right we’ll never have to see what happens if another core gets put into those God awful chassis. We should probably destroy them before we leave.”

Chell looked down at her feet once more.

“Intern… we’ll never have to find out about that, right?” Chell didn’t answer. “Come on don’t play with me like that intern. You would never actually…”

“I had to deal with her so long that at them time anything seemed like a better solution at the time.” 

“I suppose I can’t really blame you though. If I had to be stuck dealing with her who knows what I’d do. “ She agreed. “Sooo, who was it? Was it the fact core? Cause I really want punch that guy in his face! The know it all.” she growled.

“Oh no it wasn’t him it was…” But the android cut her off.

“Oh don’t tell me it was space core, this place will be in absolute shambles!” she exclaimed.

“It wasn’t him either.”

“Don’t say it was Rick! You know I love Rick!”

“No it wasn’t, Rick.” Chell confirmed.

“Well then, who? Wheatley?” she scoffed. “Oh now that would be a sight. Him running this whole place. He could barely tell ten kids to stand in a circle.” she chuckled. She looked to Chell who wasn’t laughing.

“Oh my God, he’s in those chassis isn’t he? Right now he’s running all of Aperture.” Chell simply nodded. The robot seemed to grow woozy. She put her head in hands and moved her pointer fingers to rub her temples.

“So I guess you think he’s a moron too.” Chell offered. The robot looked up and glared at her.

“Listen here intern, Wheatley may be a bit on the slow side but he is not a moron!” she snapped. “I never want to hear you that ever again.”

“Hey I didn’t think he was moron either. He helped me to try to escape this place. We were so close to leaving but then those chassis changed him. If I’d known what those things were going to do to him I would have never put him in that position.” She retorted. The room was silent for a long time after that. Chell was filled with a sense of regret not just for getting herself trapped but for turning Wheatley into monster. The android also had a look of remorse on her face.

“Well no point in dwelling in the past then mate. We have to figure out a way to get of this mess. I don’t think Aperture made a guide on how to deal with your brother becoming a crazed power hungry monster.” She jokingly cautioned.

“Your brother?”

“Oh that’s right you don’t remember anything! Yes, me and Wheatley are siblings. Or we were siblings. I think when you’re a robot they just call it being someone’s counterpart. But however you want to define it. Now we need a plan. Any ideas?”

“So far, I’ve been kind of wandering around this whole place looking for an exit.” Chell offered. “But this place is so huge, I’m not sure if I’m making any progress.”

“Yes but it is a start. If you had a map it would be easier. Even if it was my map it would work better than nothing.” she pondered.

“Can’t you give me your map?”

“Not unless you’re capable of carrying around 2 Gigabytes of electronic data. But I think I know something that can.” She once again slipped herself off the table.

“Do you remember what a cell phone is?”

“It sounds familiar.” murmured Chell as she tried to picture what the android was talking about.

“Here’s a refresher then. It’s a tiny black screen you can hold in your hand. On the way here you most likely passed a lot of desks with drawers. I need you to check every desk and see if you can’t find me a cell phone and bring back as many as possible. Not just one. There’s going to be a lot of trial and error for this plan.” she instructed. “You think you can handle this?”

“Yeah, I got it.” Chell had a renewed passion in her.

“Good now be off and hurry back!” The robot cheered. Chell turned to leave out through the mirror but stopped short.

“I never got your name.” Chell mused. A wide grin spread across the android’s face.

“They call me Sociopath Core. But you called me Socee.” Chell smirked and nodded. Then she continued out. Socee was back alone in her little room but now she didn’t feel so alone. Now she felt something she hadn’t felt in years.

“Good luck, Chell.” She whispered hopefully.

Wheatley flipped through the screens in his mind over and over again.

“Where is she?” he growled. I had been hours since he last saw his captive. He’d decided to let her roam for a little bit without his supervision as a way to try and regain her trust but now he’d completely lost track of her whereabouts.

“What was I thinking not monitoring her more closely.” He fumed.

“You weren’t thinking.” GLaDOS remarked from behind. He didn’t even have turn around to know she made that little comment with the most horrible self-satisfying sneer on her face and the thought only aggravated him more. He whirled around to face her.

“Listen you! If you weren’t such a control freak he never let her go anywhere she wouldn’t feel the need to run off all the time. In fact you know what! I’m going to stop looking for her. She’ll turn up eventually. Yep it’s not even a factor. It’s not like she can leave.” he reassured himself. He looked back down at GLaDOS who hadn’t spoken a word for or against that notion.

“She can’t leave right?”

“There were a lot of emergency exits built in this facility. I could never take into account all of them. It wouldn’t be surprising if she just slipped out of one. It would be the perfect get away.” GLaDOS chided. Just then an alert went in Wheatley’s mind.

“Ah found her!” he exclaimed.

“I thought you said you stopped looking for her?” Wheatley just ignored her. He’d gotten very good at ignoring GLaDOS lately. Now he barely noticed when she talked. He focused on Chell now. She was in one of the more office looking parts of the lab where his influence was just barely able to reach. Even though he could have called out to her over the intercom he decided to remain silent and watch what she was doing. She had something in her hands. A bunch of somethings. He tried to get a better look at what they were. He’d seen them before. It was on the very tip of his tongue. He continued to watch as Chell walked over to a desk and opened up a drawer. She rummaged around in it for a bit before pulling out another one of those thing she was collecting. This one had a long white cord attached to it that split into two other shorter cords.

“I know what those are! They’re music players. She’s collecting music players. I guess this place is pretty dull to her when she’s not testing. Nothing to really keep her engaged. Maybe I should start playing music through the place. It would add a little more life I suppose. Let’s see what I can do to get that going.” He planned. “See what I’m doing here? I’m paying attention to things she wants and then I’m giving them to her. That makes her happy and then she doesn’t want to leave. You should take notes. Now to figure out where I should put this music player.”

“Listen you idiot. What I’m about to tell isn’t because I’m being nice or because what I think you’re doing is a good idea. It’s for the simple fact that I don’t want to run the risk of you destroying this place trying to set up a radio station when there is one that is already present and working.” she informed him.

“Oh really now? Of its working then why isn’t any music playing right now?” he pointed out.

“Probably because the core that runs it is dead or deactivated. Preferably the former. But maybe you could activate the radio station itself if you could find its physical location.” she suggested.

“Right then, let me just run a scan then. Hm. Ah! Aperture Radio-Socee! Must be some sort of code. Huh it seems to be not too far above my lair. Well let’s see if I can’t make a connection.”

“Oh man she’s taking her sweet time isn’t she.” Socee paced back and forth impatiently. This whole situation worried her more now that had time to truly ponder what it meant. 

“Wheatley, poor guy. Having to try and keep charge of a place like this. Who knows what those chassis are making him feel right now. He’s probably so confused right now. Oh and what if gets too far gone? I’d have to kill my own brother just to get out of here. I’m not prepared to make a call like that. I wouldn’t be able to take losing him a second time.” she expressed. “Oh this whole thing is making my ears ring …quite rhythmically…” she noticed. The slight dinging in her ear however wasn’t a result of stress.

“Oh wait it’s my com! It’s ringing! It’s been a while since anyone called. Now how did I answer this again? Oh right!” She put her finger to her ear and she heard a click.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Hm, oh! Hello! I wasn’t expecting anyone to actually answer! Are you the radio station?”

“No, but I’m the android core who lives in the radio station. Does that count for anything?”

“Oh you’re still alive! Well you need to be brought to speed on everything that’s happened. Could you come down to my lair please?” Wheatley requested

“Lair?” she scoffed. “And just who the bloody hell are you where have your own ‘lair’” she mocked.

“I’m your new boss Wheatley, missy! That’s who I am. Now report to my lair this instant!” he commanded. Socee had frozen. She wasn’t expecting him to make contact with her. She certainly wasn’t expecting to deal with all these emotions right now.

“Oy! Ms. Sassy pants are you still there?” Wheatley sounded agitated.

“Um, yes of course! Sorry about that. Being trapped in here for a couple of decades I just didn’t have any idea who you might be. I didn’t mean to insult you.” she lied trying to save face.

“Well I’m willing to forgive that little slip up but you still need to get down here, pronto.”

“Yes of course. Now where exactly is ‘down here’?”

“There’s a stair case dead center in your little station that should lead to one of the overhead catwalks. Can you not see it?”

“Trust me if it was here I’d see it. The only thing in the center of this room is my EQ board.” she reported.

“Well can you look under the EQ board, whatever that is.” he reasoned.

“Yes. I highly doubt an entire flight of stairs is just under my EQ table though.”

“Would you just look? Okay, just check it out and see.” he sighed.

“Fine, fine. No need to get all huffy.” she crouched down under the large table. “But I assure you there’s nothing- wait a tick! There’s a metal door here! When the hell did this turn up?” In the doors silvery surface she could see her own reflection

“I don’t mean be rude but I’m still waiting for you to come down here princess.”

“Oh, right of course! Be right down then!” she grabbed the handle to the door and thrust is up open. All she could see was little bits of light that came shining through a gigantic mess of tangled wires. She could just barely make out the metallic stairway. So she turned her eye lights on a little brighter but it didn’t help much. Now everything was bathe in an eerie red light which was almost worse than the darkness.

“Red. Why red?” she thought to herself. She refocused on the matter at hand. The steps.

“Uh quick question: Is this thing structurally sound?” she put her foot on one of the steps and it groaned in complete protest of her weight.

“It’s fine. Even if by some off chance it were to fail, I’d catch you. Now stop being such a baby and move your bum down here.”

Socee pictured her brother in her mind. Thin and gangly and pale, like a stick form a birch tree.

“If you try to catch me I’m pretty sure we’ll both be in trouble.” But she continued onward and downward stepping as lightly as possible on the questionable alloy. It squeaked and moaned more and more with each movement. She found herself clinging to the rails. Not that they were much help either. More light began to make its way through cords.

“I can hear you clanging around up there now. I’m turning off the com. We can just talk to each other now. Just keep steady and you’ll be fine.”

“Heh, I’m trying but this staircase is very unsteady! It sways every time I make a move. Please tell me there’s not that much farther to go.” She whined.

“Yes, I can tell you that actually! Just go down more level and I’ll come up to meet you okay?”

“Oh thank God! I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to entangle these huge cords around this flimsy little stair way but I think you should fire them. Some of these cords are thicker than this catwalk. What are these things even connected to?” she slid down a little more on the stair case. She now walked with confidence about the situation. After having to talk to Wheatley for so long, she realized even with those chassis he still acted and responded like the same old core she knew and moderately cared for.

“These cords run all over Aperture love. They’re just everywhere! And they all connect right into my chassis which in turn connect into me.” He explained.

“Wait a second, so you’re saying what I’m somewhere in that God awful mess that connect into the chassis?”

“Yeah but it’s perfectly safe.”

“So I’m guessing you don’t remember who I am huh?” She finally asked. It was already made apparent by the way he talked to her that there was a lack of acquaintance.

“I’m sorry. I can’t recall. Were we friends?” Wheatley queried.

“I suppose that’s the nice way of putting it.” Socee sighed.

“Well maybe when I see your face I’ll remember .” Wheatley offered.

“I doubt it, but thanks for trying to make me feel better.”

She stopped as she reached the next landing. The staircase had ended abruptly. The metal was twisted and torn here as if the rest of the catwalk was ripped apart by something and wasn’t that much of guess by what. She craned her neck to look over the edge. Something was caught in the jagged edge of the side. Socee elevated herself on the top of her toes to try and make out what it was. It was gold and wrapped around something else. It was only when she saw the flat glass like face did she shrink away in horror in realizing that was a wrist watch clinging on to whatever was left of someone’s wrist and caught in the ripped metal.

“Alright this is as far as I go.” she declared. “I am not leaving for this spot.”

“It’s fine, you’re right where you need to be. I’m coming up to meet you.”

Socee watched as the huge mass of cords and wires began to heave upward. The staircase shook and rattled violently as the mass began to dredge up and up. Socee hung on to the rail for dear life. He crimson eyes darted back and forth looking for a possible mean of escape should the staircase finally give way. A giant blue light rose from the depths and shaking and rattling had reached its peak. Socee shut her eyes tight and crouched low to the ground sure that the stairs would collapse at any moment. Then just as suddenly as it began it stopped. Socee didn’t dare open her eyes.

“Am I dead, is this heaven?” she asked trembling.

Wheatley loomed over the tiny figure cowering on the steps.

“Hello, there.” he greeted with a little wave, not that she could see it.

“God? Is that you? I’d like to say sorry for selling my soul to science ,I’d also like to apologize for killing that guy even though he had it coming, and I really feel bad about punching that cow to death.” she pleaded.

“I’m not God, please stop confessing to me.” Wheatley requested. Socee looked up at the face before her. She saw the same big blue eyes and straw blonde hair that she was sure she’d never see again but with a slight twist.

“It’s really you!” she exclaimed. “And you’re bloody huge!”

“Yes, it’s one of the many changes that happened when I became the new head of Aperture.”

“Yeah I know. I just came up with a ton of ‘1984’ jokes that are useless now because you don’t remember who I am.” she pointed out. She was smiling in a sad way.

“Actually you look very familiar. Yes I have definitely seen your face somewhere before. There’s no doubt in my mind that we have met.” Wheatley rambled. He moved in closer to the tiny figure bathing her in that blue light.

“Now what did you say your name was again?”

“Socee. It’s short for Sociopath Core.” she explained. Socee started to take steps back as Wheatley examined her closer.

“Yes, that sounds right. But I remember going by another name. Something starting with an ‘M’. It was definitely an ‘M’ sound alright. I can recall that quite clearly.”

“Uh, Well I’m sure we can take a nice stroll down memory lane later. Now what exactly did you dig me back up for?” she sputtered changing the subject.

“Oh yes! What’s wrong with me!?”

“Do you really want me to go down that list?” Socee remarked under her breath.

“What was that?” Wheatley bellowed.

 

“Nothing!” she lied. “Please continue.” Wheatley looked her up and down a long time before going on.

I need your radio station back up and running ASAP. And I need done by the end of that day at least.” He started. “There’s a human here, and she’s doing good work for us. She’s testing and giving us great data. So I want to make sure she’s being properly rewarded for her efforts because we couldn’t get along without her. She had to live a long time under her rule. So I’m trying to show her that Aperture can be a very nice place.”

“Hm, I see.” she pondered. “Well, I’ve been out of commission for quite some time. Decades even! I’m not even sure if the EQ board even works at all.”

“I’m sure we can figure something out.” Wheatley offered.

“Also you’d be listening to me 24 hours a day seven days of the week. I am not appropriate for all audiences. I make a lot of hurtful jokes, foul language. I am a very abrasive person.”

“We’re all adults here we’ll be fine.”

“She could very well not like my taste in music.”

“Then we’ll learn what she likes and adapt.” he was getting flustered.

“You sure are going out of your way for this human. She must be pretty good at what she does.” she spoke testing the waters. She had a hunch about something.

“Oh she’s amazing at everything she does! She can complete tests no problem. She defeated her twice! She’s very good company even though she doesn’t talk much. But that’s fine! She’s a great listener. And just a really great person in general. I’d do anything to make sure she was happy.” he rambled.

Socee smirked. It was just as she expected.

“Well, then I better get started!” she exclaimed. She began to bound back up the steps to her station.

“Wait what about all that stuff you said you needed?” Wheatley called after her.

“I’ll make due darling.” she called back down. “I’m a very clever girl.” she laughed.

Wheatley watched as she stormed up the stairs and out of sight.

“She’s so very familiar. I know I’ve had to deal with her antics before. And now I have to listen to her on loud speaker every day.” Wheatley put his pointer fingers to his temples.

“I’m already starting to regret this idea.” he sighed.

Socee threw open the hatch that led back into the station and scrambled back up under the EQ table. She crawled from underneath and ran around to the other side. She opened a back panel on the table and was met with a face full of dust. She looked inside of the little panel and saw a mess of matted wires, a site she was getting used to seeing.

“What a wreck.” she mumbled to herself. She stuck her hands in and began cutting and re arranging the wires as she saw fit. She was only at it for 30 minutes or so before Chell came back to the chamber with all the cell phones she’d found.

“Ah, intern! You came just in time!” Socee greeted. “I’ve got good news and excellent news.” She stood up from working on the board and shut the panel behind her.

“What’s the good news?” Chell asked handing her the phones. Socee took them and spread them out on the ground in front of her. She grabbed one and in swift movements began taking it apart and inspecting its inside for certain criteria whatever it may be. After that she discarded it and moved on to the next one.

“First, I had a talk with Wheatley not too long before you came. I’m sure we can save him!” she announced.

“And what makes you so sure?” Chell had a bit of intrigue in her voice.

“You do. Wheatley has a very big spot for you. Speaking of very big things, why on earth didn’t you tell me about his little growth spurt?”

“It kind of slipped my mind at the time. And what do you mean soft spot?”

“Oh isn’t obvious intern? He isn’t just keeping you here to test you. He likes you a lot. We can use that to our advantage.” she beamed but Chell wasn’t smiling.

“He likes me? Then why did he force me to stay here?”

“We’ve been through this! It’s not him it’s the chassis. Their making him do some very unusual things.”

“He called me his ‘pet’.” she growled.

“We’re British! We call everyone we like something semi insulting. Like how I’ve been calling you intern even ,though you have like a masters in like sociology or something or other. ‘Pet’ is just another British idiom.” she assured.

“One that hasn’t been used since the 1950s but still…” she mumbled to herself. Chell didn’t seem all that convinced.

“Look, right now Wheatley has a somewhat healthy attraction to you. The longer he’s connected to those chassis, the bigger his personality is going to grow, and the unhealthier that attraction is going to get. Eventually he is not going to want to part with you at all. We need to use this advantage now before it becomes a major handicap.” Socee sighed. Chell nodded. There was no denying that at one point in time she truly enjoyed Wheatley’s companionship, to a point where she could no longer see herself living without it. But now these feelings were just another tool to be used to escape this place.

“So what was the other news?” Chell spoke disenchanted.

“Ah! You’ll love this.” Socee put down the phone she was about to inspect and ran over to the other side of the EQ board. She began eagerly pressing buttons ,flipping switches, and turning knobs. The little lights on the board switched on and glowed dimly.

“It seems that an attempt to make Aperture more hospitable for you , Wheatley wants me to resume broad casting.” She smirked. Socee bent down to look for something under the EQ board.

“Now where is it?” she mumbled.

“AH HA!” From underneath the EQ table Socee pulled out a chrome broadcaster’s microphone.

“Darling welcome to the glorious revival of Aperture radio!” she cheered. Chell half smiled at Socee.

Back in the lair, Wheatley settled back down into his normal monitoring state.

“So, how did you’re little family reunion go? I bet she was really happy to see you again, up until she realized you didn’t remember her.” GLaDOS remarked.

“I do remember her as a matter of fact.” Wheatley snapped back.

“Not like she remembers you. You destroyed her life. Twice. It’s apparently something you’re really good at.”

Wheatley turned around.

“What do you mean I destroyed her life? Are you saying I killed her?” Wheatley fumed.

“You might as well have. She was quite admirable as human being. And that’s something I never say about anyone. Let alone a human. She recognized that her emotions were a flaw and then she got rid of them. If only all humans were smart enough to do that.” GLaDOS sighed.

“But she was fine with her emotions before you came along. It’s your fault she resorted to such drastic measures. So yes you destroyed her. Or more so you destroyed whatever part of her was human. If you couldn’t even make someone who shares half of your DNA stop hating you I honestly don’t know how you expect to make your precious human fall in love with you. ”

“More nonsense.” Wheatley scoffed. “I’m really starting to wonder why I even keep you around.”

“Because you were too much of moron to kill me.” GLaDOS stated coldly. Wheatley finally let his anger reach its peak.

“How many times have I told you…” he bellowed.

“I… Am Not… A Moron!” he roared. The whole room shock with his anger. He stomped over to GLaDOS’s case and lifted it and her in the air.

“And if killing you is what it takes to prove that to you then so be it.” he raged. He was started stomping off toward the incinerator. GLaDOS still retained her calm demeanor as if she wasn’t being marched off to her doom.

“Go right ahead. Killing me won’t prove that you’re not a moron. But it will prove that you’re monster. Just like me.” Wheatley stopped dead in his tracks. He felt himself turn cold. He didn’t say a word as he put GLaDOS’s cage back on the floor and walked away. He couldn’t believe he’d allowed himself to get so angry.

“That was almost too easy.” GLaDOS hissed as she watched him walk away. “Now the matter of getting out of this cage…”


End file.
